Rate indicator



All 13,1942. c. J. CRANE r-:TAL 212939044` RATE INDICATOR Filed V'April 26, 1939 2 Sheets-Shaq?. l

Fifa rroz/veys 2 Sheet's-Sheet 2 c. J. CRANE Erm.. RATE INDlcAToR Filed Aprile@ 1939 Aug.` 18, 1942.

45di v Patented Aug. 18, 1942 RATE INDICATOR Carl J. Crane, Montgomery, Ala., and Francis G. Nesbitt, Dayton, Ohio Application pril 26, 1939, Serial No. 270,142

(Cl. 23S-61) (Granted under the actof March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. 757) 4 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, Without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.

This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 212,740, led June '9, 1938.

This invention comprises a liquid fuel consumption indicator based upon a Well-known type of volume measuring meter. It is the purpose of this invention to provid-e a simple mechanism whereby the full accuracy of the positive displacement type meter may be used in obtaining a rate indication. The rate of consumption is indicated in convenient units, such as miles per gallon, in the preferred form of the invention. In the two typical examples of the invention, one embodies the measuring of units of volume consumed per unit of distance traveled, and the other embodies the measuring of units of distance traveled per unit of volume consumed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic arrangement of parts used in the device with Vcertain of the parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 illustrates an indicator dial;

`Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the lines 3 3 of Figure l; Y

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the lines l-l of Figure l;

Figure 5 is a new similar to Figure 1 but showing another embodiment of this invention;

Figure 6 minnares nie type of indicator dial used in connection with the embodiment shown nFgure 5;

Figure i' is a section along the lines 'I-l of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a section along the lines 8-8 of Figure 5.

In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figures 1 to d, units of volume are measured per unit of `distance traveled and indicated by suitable mechanism on a scale as distance per unit of volume.

The distance measuring device is int-ended to be connected to the vehicle Whose distance of travel is to be measured and as illustrated is adapted for connection to the speedometer driving means (not shown) of the vehicle. This is accomplished by means of an adapter i that is connected with the speedometer'driving means through a shaft 3, the speedometer (not shown) being connected to said driving means through beveled gears on shafts 3 and 'I respectively. Worm E is carried on shaft 'I and meshes with gear 8 carrying pinion 9. Pinion 9 meshes with 55 contact gear lll which is made of insulating material. Contact gear l carries an electrical conduction contact segment il that is preferably molded therein. This segment is electrically conneet-ed by conductor i3 to slip ring l2, which is mounted on a boss integral with contact gear l0. Spring contact I4 rides on slip ring l2 and is electrically connected to one terminal of source of power I5, through a suitable terminal connection and conductor. The other terminal of source of power l is grounded to the frame of the vehcle. Contactor I6 rides on segment H and is connected by conductor il to binding post or terminal connection i8. Contactor i6 and segment l l may be said to constitute a switch. Binding post I8 is connected by conductor i8 to terminal of a conventional type of displacement meter 2l. Meter 2i receives fuel from a supply tank (not shown) through pipe 22 and delivers it to a carburetor (not shown) through pipe 23. Meter 2l incorporates the conventional contact switch which closes every time a certain volume of fuel passes through the meter. Terminal 20 is connected to one side of the switch and terminal Z4 is connected to the other. rlerminal 24 is connected by conductor 25 to solenoid 26 installed inside of the indicating unit 2l. The other lead of solenoid 2E is suitably grounded to the framework of the vehicle.

Contact gear l0 also carries a smaller electrical conduction contact segment 28 and on a diierent radius, and is connected electrically to slip ring l2. Segment 28 is adapted to engage contact 2S upon each revolution of gear 0. Segment 28 and contact 29 may be said to constitute a switch. Contact 29 is connected by means of conductor 30 to binding post 3E, which is connected by conductor 32 to solenoid 33 Within the indicator case 2T. The other lead from solenoid 33 is suitably grounded to the Aframework of the vehicle. .Arm 34 is pivotally attached to case 2 by pin 35 and carries apaivl 3S meshing with ratchet Wheel 3'! attached to shaft of pointer 38 for actuating the pointer when solenoid 26 is energized. Also attached to pointer shaft is one end of the hair spring 39, the other end of which is attached to the case 2l. Pawl 36 is held in Contact with ratchet ivheel 3l by spring 40' and spring 4l. Spring 40 is made of any suitable material, such as spring steel, and is fastened to the casing of the solenoid 2B in any suitable manner, such as by tap bolts, rivets, welding, er the like. Lever 42 is pivotally mounted on arm 34 and one end of lever 42 depresses pawl 36 when solenoid 33 is energized to release the pawl from the ratchet wheel and permit the spring 39 to reset the pointer tolzero position. Pointer 38 may be held in indicating position While arm 36 is being retracted by spring 4I by any old and well known means. As an illustration of mechanism that could cooperate with pointer 3B to prevent it from returning to starting position when not engaged by 36, attention is invited to U. S. Patent No. 1,652,378 in which a speed indicating pointer is frictionally held in indicating position by a convex steel disc. `Another means for preventing the pointer 38 from returning to starting position is to provide spring 40 with an arm 45 for engaging ratchet wheel 31. Arm 36 is provided with a knob 36 adapted to engage 40 to move 45 out of engagement with 31 when solenoid 33 is energized to release pointer 38 and allow it to return to. starting position. Knob 36 is spaced a predetermined distance from spring \40 to enable pawl 36 to return to normal position in response to action of spring 4I after being actuated by solenoid 26. 'Ihis space is sufficiently small to insure intended release of spring 48 by knob 36 in response to actuation of pawl 36 by lever -42 and solenoid 33. The indicator is provided with a tell tale lamp 43 that is electrically connected to the current' source by neans of conductor 44 to terminal 20 on the meter ZI and the other lead is grounded.

The operation of the device as illustrated in Figures 1 to 4 may be described as follows:

Since contact gear I8 is geared directly to the speedometer shaft, its rotation is proportional to the distance traveled by the vehicle. As contact gear III rotates in the direction shown by the arrow, contact is made between point I 6 and segment II. It will be seen Vthat this contact is kept closed for a known distance, say for example, one mile or a fraction thereof. During the time that contact is made between II and II, at which point the cycle is' repeated. Telll tale lamp 43 will remain lightedl continuously during the time. contact I6 is making electrical contact with segment I I, warning the operator not to read the pointer while it is moving. As

soon as contact I6 leaves segment II, the lamp goes out, indicating the pointer may be read.

In a further embodiment of this invention, and as illustrated in Figures 5 to 8, units of distance traveled are measured per unit of volume consumed. The parts and'arrangement thereof are substantially the same as in Figures 1 to 4, except that the indicating continues during the con-i sumption of a unit volume of Hfuel, units of traveled distance being indicated for the unit of volume.

The distance measuring device is connected to the speedometer driving means of the vehicle by an adaptor Ia inwhich is housed a shaft 3a carrying a beveled gear which meshes with a beveled gear on shaft 1a. Worm gear 6a on shaft 1a rotates gear 8a, carrying cam 2a which operates a switch having contacts 20a and 24a, the latter contact ,being carried by a at spring mounted on housing 4a.-

Mounted in volume measuring device 2 Ia to rotate in a counter-clockwise direction is member Illa made of insulated material and having I6, solenoid 26 is energized momentarily every time a known volume of fuel passes through meter 2I by virtue of the contact made at terminals 20 and 24 Each time solenoid 26is energized, lever 34 is pulled toward the solenoid causing the pawl 36 to rotate ratchetwheel 31 a desired amount. This actioncauses the pointer 38 to progress over the scale fromV zero in a clockwise direction. It is obvious that the more frequent the circuit is closed at terminals 20 and 24, the more fuel is going through the meter every mile or fraction thereof, as defined by segment II. At the len'd'ofthe mile,^or fraction thereof, contact gear I0 has rotated so that point I6 is no longer touching segment I I and therefore the circuit is broken, allowing pointer 38 to remain stationary on its scale by virtue of pawl 36 and ratchet 31. The

pointer `may now be read directly on the scale in terms of miles per gallon just obtained for the previous mile, or fraction thereof. `As contacter wheel Ill continues to rotate through the angle between the end of segment II and the beginning of segment 28, which asv illustrated correspondsto approximately three-.quarters of a mile, the pointer remains stationary on the scale and may be read directly in miles per gallon at any time during this period. When segment 28 makes contact with the point 29, solenoid 33 is energized, operating lever 42 and releasing pawl 36 and arm 45 from ratchet wheel 31, allowing pointer 38 to be returned to its zero Position on the scale byhair spring 39. As the placed therein electrical conducting contacts Ila and 28a. Contacts I6a and IIa may be said to form a switch, as may also contacts 28a and 29a. Member Illa rotates'with the volume measuring means (of well known conventional construction) and IIa is made ofsuch length as to be in contact with I6a, which in turn is electrically connectedto I6b, while a unit 'volume of fluid is passing through the volume measuring device. When I Ia and I6a are not in contact, the circuit is open and the indicating means may be read. when ma rotates until 28a Contacts 29a, electrically connected to 29h, solenoid 33a is energized to operate lever 42a for releasing 36a andv 45a, allowing pointer 38a to returnto starting position. Electrical energy is supplied from a suitable source I5a to IIa and 28a by conductors I4a, I2a and I3a.

In the operation of the device, since the volume measuring means, distance measuring means, and rate indicating means are electrically connected in series, the series connection will be several embodiments of their invention by way of illustration, various changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention, and it will be understood that applicants do not intend to limit their invention other than by the scope of the ap pended claims. y

What we'claim as new and desire to secure by letters Patent is: I

1. An indicator including a rotatably mounted pointer means, means for actuating said pointer means comprising a solenoid actuated lever pivotally connected to said indicator, a pawl pivotally connected to said lever, said pawl engaging and moving said pointer means a given distance for each actuation of said solenoid, means for holding said pointer in indicating position, means on said pawl for engaging said holding means to move it to pointer releasing position, and solenoid actuated cam means on said lever for moving said pawl into said pointer releasing position.

2. A rate-measuring device comprising means for measuring unit volume; means for measuring unit distance; a switch operatively connected with said volume-measuring means and a switch operatively' connected with said distance-measuring means, one of said switches being actuated upon the passage of each unit and the other of said switches being closed during the passage of a unit and open during another interval, an indicator means; means biasing said indicating means to its zero or starting position; means for operating said indicator means including a solenoid electrically connected in series with said switches; means for holding said indicating means in indicating position; and means for releasing said indicator means for return to zero or starting `position including a second solenoid and a third switch operatively associated with the measuring means to which said other of said switches is connected, said third switch being actuated during the said other interval.

3. A rate-measuring device comprising meansy yincluding a solenoid electrically connected in series with said switches; means for biasing said indicating means to Zero or starting position; meansfor holding said indicating means in indicating position; and indicator-releasing means including other electrical contacts constituting a third switch operatively connected with said unitdistance-measuring means, and a second solenoid electrically connected in circuit with said third switch, said third switch being actuated when said second switch is open and after said 'second switch has been open for a predetermined indicator-reading time.

4. A rate-measuring device comprising means for measuring unit distance, and electrical contacts constituting a first switch operatively connected therewith to be actuated thereby upon the -passage of each unit distance; means for measuring unit volume and electrical contacts constituting a second switch operatively connected therewith to be closed during the passage of a unit volume and open during the passage of an-` other volume; an indicating means and a means foroperating the same including a solenoid electrically connected in series with said two switches; means for biasing said indicating means to zero or starting position; means for holding said indicating means in indicating position; and indicator-releasing means including other electrical contacts constituting a. third switch operatively connected with said unit-volume-measuring means, and a second solenoid electrically connected in circuit with said third switch, said third switch being actuated when said second switch is open and after said second switch has been open for a predetermined indicator-reading time.

CARL J. CRANE.

FRANCIS G. NESBITT. 

